NBI installs the new lighting system in the great hall at the Sapienza University, Rome

Friday, November 24, 2017

The Facility Management and Energy Department at NBI S.p.A. (fully owned by the Astaldi Group) has completed the new lighting system in the rectorate's building Great Hall at the Sapienza University, Rome.

Throughout the five-months-long project which caused only minor disruption to daily academic activities – while following rigorous safety measures – NBI S.p.A. had to operate within a multi-purpose hall where many and various events were held (conferences, special guest addresses, institutional meetings, concerts).

The Great Hall is a huge 900 sq m auditorium with a 3,000-person capacity, about 37 meters long, nearly 26 meters wide and 14 metres high. A stage is surrounded by stalls, loggias and galleries. The Great Hall is known for its unique architecture and for Mario Sironi's work, L'Italiafra le arti e le scienze (Italy Between Art and Science), painted in 1935 to celebrate the campus inauguration. The fresco spans over 90 square meters.

In collaboration with the Works Management office, the NBI S.p.A. project focused on upgrading the existing lighting system by introducing the latest technologies, on reducing energy consumption, and on improving the viewing of Sironi's fresco – recently unveiled after a two-year restoration – and of the unique spatial and architectonic features of the place. All this formed a special lighting solution that offered high visual comfort for visitors while protecting pre-existing elements through the use of LEDs, which do not produce UV radiation and are low heat emitters.

The NBI S.p.A. project in the Rectorate's building Great Hall resulted in a reduction of energy consumption from 10,000 W to 4,200 W.